Here’s a topic which can divide people; some say just take a few lighters or matches, others swear by magnesium blocks or firesteels. Some even say – take nothing, make your fire by friction with a fire-drill…
Personally I recommend one of these: Light My Fire Original Swedish FireSteel (but I also carry a bic lighter and I can start with a bow drill. Never rely on just one means to start a fire).
Luckily Leon Pantenburg from Survival Common Sense has written an excellent article detailing the common ways of making fire, together with the strengths and weaknesses of each. Check it out below before you decide what to put in your pack.
I’m a big fan of the Ultimate Survival Technologies Strikeforce. It has an over size ferro rod, striker, and a compartment in which to put tinder. I recommend UST’s Wetfire cubes, they ignite readily and actually burn more strongly when wet. With this combo there is no need to worry about wet matches, running out of lighter fluid, needing to find dry tinder, or even worrying about the wind blowing out your flame. I gave mine a trial after a self-imposed canoe swamping in a cold Maine river in May. I had a flame within 1 minute and a warm fire within 3.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-StrikeForce-Starter/dp/B001H9N8B6/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1356788138&sr=1-2&keywords=survival+technologies
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-WetFire-Tinder/dp/B001H9N8BQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1356788138&sr=1-4&keywords=survival+technologies
Jeff, I agree completely with your reccomendation. Doug Ritter has an excellent website, Equipped To Survive (equipped.com) where he tests and evaluates survival gear. He did a test on many different fire starters and the UST Strikeforce came out on top of all the test categories. I have a Strikeforce in the sheath of my primary survival knife and another in my B.O.B. It is my first choice of starting a campfire unless I’m instructing someone on another method.
It is important to have at least three different methods for making fire. When I go into the wilderness, I carry a UST Strikeforce, a UST Blastmatch, and a magnesium block with striker. That does not count being able to make and use a fire drill (which weighs nothing).
I always keep extra magnesium block fire starters to give to anyone who may be hiking or camping with me. I think it’s one of the easiest methods besides a lighter (which I never carry out of principle) for someone who may be inexperienced in wilderness survival. I like the Sweedish Firesteel also, it is very reliable.
If I am at a Black Powder Rendezvous, I use the flint-and-steel method using charcloth and a piece of flint.
I would recommend people try many different firestarters until they find the one that suits them best. That is, while they learn to become proficient in the bow-drill / hand-drill method.
I have a mixed bag of tricks just in case. Butane lighter, storm proof matches, flint striker and cotton balls soaked with vaseline. It never hurts to have options, and if you plan on using a flint striker or friction methods for fire starting you should keep those skills in good practice. If in time of need, you might have a limited chance to get a fire going. Conserve resources and be proficient with your skills and supplies at hand.
Don’t forget to consider the propose for the fire. Bigger is not always better. It is fairly easy to make a small semi smokeless fire to help keep you warm, cook, or boil/ sanitize water, without giving away your position. Also starting a fire also depends heavily on your kindling.
I have seen these methods used at a boy scouting camp out. I was really impressed on how they worked. I also was where on of the troop leaders had taken cotton balls and had rubbed the in Vaseline. In do so the Vaseline kept the cotton balls dry even when they were drop in wart and would still light because of the petro jell from the Vaseline. Was pretty cool. I’d also says how you can you steel wool to start fires, never new steel wool you catch on fire like it did. A very interesting class on how to start first if you were in he wood or I guess just need to start a fire.
So for my miss spell words. I hope you can get the main message for the post.